IMDb > Sydney (1996)
Sydney
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Videos (see all 2 NEW)
Sydney (1996) -- Open-ended Trailer from Rysher Entertainment
Sydney (1996) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   10,038 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writer:
Paul Thomas Anderson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Hard Eight on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 February 1997 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
When good luck is a long shot, you have to hedge your bets. more
Plot:
John has lost all his money. He sits outside a diner in the desert when Sydney happens along, buys him coffee... more | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
Ciff 2009: The winners! And our reviews
 (From Roger Ebert's Blog. 22 October 2009, 6:39 PM, PDT)

Celebrity Trainer Appears In Court
 (From WENN. 28 September 2009, 5:12 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
A Calm and Collected Character Study more (108 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Philip Baker Hall ... Sydney

John C. Reilly ... John

Gwyneth Paltrow ... Clementine

Samuel L. Jackson ... Jimmy

F. William Parker ... Hostage

Philip Seymour Hoffman ... Young Craps Player (as Phillip Seymour Hoffman)
Nathanael Cooper ... Restroom Attendant
Wynn White ... Waitress
Robert Ridgely ... Keno Bar Manager
Kathleen Campbell ... Keno Girl
Michael J. Rowe ... Pit Boss
Peter D'Allesandro ... Bartender
Steve Blane ... Stickman
Xaleese ... Cocktail Waitress

Melora Walters ... Jimmy's Girl
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Hard Eight (USA) (new title)
Double mise (France) [fr]
Hard Eight (Netherlands) [nl]
Jogada de Risco (Brazil) [pt]
Kivikova kahdeksikko (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Kivikova kaksikko (Finland) (video title) [fi]
Last Exit Reno (Germany) (video title) [de]
Passado Sangrento (Portugal) (video title) [pt]
Sidney (Spain) [es]
Sydney (Italy) [it]
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong language, some violence and sexuality.
Runtime:
102 min | USA:101 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2008) | UK:15 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:16 (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA
Filming Locations:
Reno, Nevada, USA
Company:
Green Parrot more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Paul Thomas Anderson had seen Philip Baker Hall in Robert Altman's Secret Honor (1984) and had him in mind for the part of the Sydney from the start. He persuaded Hall to appear in his short film Cigarettes & Coffee (1993). That short film played at the Sundance Film Festival where producer Robert Jones approached Anderson about expanding the short into a feature. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Sydney and Clementine are drinking coffee in the diner, Clementine's cigarette switches from her right to her left hand between shots. more
Quotes:
Sydney: You know the first thing they should've taught you at hooker school? You get the money up front! more
Movie Connections:
References Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) more
Soundtrack:
Christmas Medley more

FAQ

Why is this listed on IMDB as "Sydney" instead of "Hard Eight"?
more
10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
A Calm and Collected Character Study, 19 January 2004
Author: FranktheRabbit from Atlanta, GA

Hard Eight (1996/Paul Thomas Anderson) ***1/2 out of ****

The camera opens to a diner called "Jack's Coffee Shop". A semi is pulling out of the parking lot. After it pulls away, two people are revealed. A young man sitting by the door with his face to the ground, and an older man who is walking towards him. Even though we can't see his face, we know he is old, just by the way he moves. He asks the young man if he would like some coffee and cigarettes. And this is how Paul Thomas Anderson's first film begins.

"Hard Eight" is about a down and out loser named John (John C. Reilly), who sits outside a diner, until he is encountered by a mysterious old man named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall). Sydney offers him $50, and a lesson in gambling. Before to long, they are in Reno, making lots of money. Then two people get in the way of their friendship: Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a hooker/waitress; and Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), a mischievous security guard who seems to be hiding something.

I never thought that Paul Thomas Anderson could make such a grounded film with substance. His usual films are flashy ensembles, and they move fast. But "Hard Eight" is a different story. It is a slow paced Film Noir, that is both quiet and observant. The cinematography is drab, and the direction is tranquil. Philip Baker Hall and Paltrow turn in good performances. But it is Jackson who really shines. The twist could have been over done, but instead, it is handled nicely and effectively.

"Hard Eight" is by far one of the most interesting character studies of the 90's. I like this cool side of Anderson, and I wish he would use it more often than his usual over the top formula (although I like both). This is no classic, but I found it worth buying.

-30-

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